book reviews Analytical Emission Spectroscopy Jcizsef Mika and Tibor Tamk, Translated from the Hungarian Edition by P. A. Floyd. Crane, Russak & Co., Inc., New York, 1974. 529 pp. Figs. and tables. $27.50. This wark is essentially a slightly enlarged translation of the 1968 Hungarian version, dealing with the still-powerful, but today often neglected, techniques of emission spebmhemical analysis. The authors have succeeded in presenting a rather thorough discussion of the fundamental principles and practices which must be mastered by the serious student wishing to develop a high degree of expertise in the use of analytical emission techniques. Unfortunately, it does not do justice to the many recent advances in the field. In certain cases the authors make clearly erroneous statements, totally disregarding modern advances; and throughout the b w k they do a poor job of contrasting and evaluating the differences in historical approaches and recent technology. In spite of these problems, this wark has much to offer. It is very logically laid out, beginning with a carefully presented diecussion of the origin and properties of spectra, which is followed by detailed descriptions of the various types of phenomena oeeuming in arcs and sparks. The basic electrical theory relevant to the design and construction of arc and spark generators is thoroughly covered. A short section on laser excitation is included; hut alas, this section suffers from the same malady which prevents the rest of the text from being really first-rate -it simply has not been sufficiently revised to include recent advances in the area (in fact, the most modern reference in the laser section is eight years old!). In a similar manner, the authors' discussion of high-frequency plasma jets is so incomplete that they would have been far better off if they had chosen not to include it a t all. Exrensive aectrons discuss principles, performsnce, and aberrationr inherent in vnriom different prism and gratmg sperrrograph configurations. A short chapter on wavelength determination and a eomprehensive section on considerations relevant to spectral line intensity measurements round out the book. The overall organization and flow of the book are well thought out. It is very readable, with a goad balance between mathematical treatment, verbal description, and figures. In general, the reviewer regards this text a s an excellent reference, most useful for providing a sophisticated introduction to and historical background of emission techniques. However, in the reviewer's opinion, it is just too out-of-date and expensive to justify its use as a required teat in graduate level spectroscopy courses. M. Bonner Denton
University of Arizona Tucson. Arizona 85721 A140
/ Journal of Chemical Education
Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences
This textbook merits serious consideration as a text in a one-semester course for students of the life sciences.
Gordon M. Barrow, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1974. x + 405 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 23.5cm. $12.50.
This textbook is designed for a one-semester course in physical chemistry for students whose major interests Lie in the life sciences. There are 12 chapters: Molecules of Gases: Molecular Motions (38 pages); Molecules in Crystals: Molecular Structures (36 pages); Liquids and the Motion and Structure of Molecules of Liquids (47 pages); Molecular Species in Solution: Acid-Base Reactions (46 pages); Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions (21 pages); Entropy and the Direction of Chemical Change (23 pages); Free Energy (23 pages); Chemical Driving Forces and Chemical Equilibria (39 pages); Physical Equilibria and Membrane Phenomena (22 pages); Rates of Chemical Reactions (26 pages); Reaction Mechanisms (22 pages); Rates of Transport Processes (25 pages). The author's presentation of material is unusually clear and logically developed. The examples worked out and the problems a t the end of the chapters have a strong biological orientation. It is assumed that the student has had previous work in biology, organic chemistry, and physics. The material is presented using calculus (including partial derivatives and the total differential). Answers to selected problems are given at the end of the bwk. A solutions manual is available from the publisher and shows that 26 out of 124 prohlems have incorrect answers given. Especially well presented is the material on spectroscopy, enzyme kinetics, and phosphate equilibria including the species present in solutions of ATP. Also to be commended is the avoidance of the term "high energy phosphate bond" and the reason for doing so. There is s successful attempt to point out interrelationships between various parts of the hook (e.g., the basis for carrying the results of X-ray studies of crystals over to the liquid state). The author develops thermodynamics on the basis of a "universe" consisting of a reacting system, thermal surroundings, and mechanical surroundings. This leads to AE which is a state function of the system, and A E of thermal surroundings and AE of mechanical surroundings which are not state functions of the system. The second law is then developed on this basis. It is the reviewer's judgment that students (especially in a one-semester course) find this approach cumbersome and confusing and recommends consideration of system plus undivided surroundings. Material to be covered in a text of this sort calls for difficult choices. In future editions the rather detailed treatment of structures from Fourier synthesis and the quantum mechanical treatment of a particle in a box might be omitted. Reference could simply be made to this material in the author's standard text. In place of the omitted material, a better coverage of adsorption and colloid chemistry would he appropriate. The text uses cgs units and surprisingly does not mention SI units even in an appendix.
Scott L. Kilt~ley Marguette University Milwaukee. Wisconsin 53233
Ab lnnio Valeme Calculations in
Chemistry
D. B. Cook, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England. Halsted Press (John Wiley + Sons, Inc.), 1974. ix 271 pp. Figs. +tables. 16 x 24 cm. $27.50.
+
This b w k consists mostly of a rather detailed description of the calculation of energy levels and wave functions of molecules by the Hartree-Fwk-Roothaan procedure with a Gaussian basis set. After an introductory chapter the author reviews the quantum mechanical theory behind the self-consistent field methods and then devotes several chapters to the details of the calculation. This part of the h w k eontains discussions of the formalism, suggestions for implementation on a computer, and a few sample computer programs. As an illustrative example, BeHz is considered in some detail. The remaining chapters take u p population analysis and physical interpretation, open shell systems (hut without spin projection), symmetry (without group theoretical details), and localized molecular orbitals. Appendices include formulas for multi-center integrals over Gaussian functions and additional computer programs. In deciding who might profit'ably study this book, one can immediately eliminate beginners in quantum chemistry; the introductory chapters are much too sketchy. We can also eliminate the experienced quantum chemist, who will already know this material or can easily find it in the original sources. The experimental chemist who needs quantum mechanical results for interpretation of experimental data would be better advised to use one of several well-documented programs available from the Quantum Chemistry Program Exchange and other sources rather than attempting to use this hook to write his own. It could be useful, however, to someone who is unwilling to use programs written by others a s "black boxes" and wants instead to have some idea of their construction. The student with ambition to carry out quantum chemical research could find it helpful in the transition from more general textbooks to the current literature. Several minor points deserve negative comment. The author states that the solutions of any Schr6dinger equation eonstitute a complete set, hut neither explicitly nor by the context does he indicate that this usually requires the inclusion of a continuum. The computer programs given appear capable of functioning, but some of them contain unnecessary inelegancies and inefficiencies. For example, the Jaeohi
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